Celestial Guardian
by Sora no Kioku
Summary: HiJack. Guardian Angel AU. When Jack was assigned to the task of guarding a boy named Hiccup, he never thought that he'd fall in love with him. Not only is this forbidden in the Guardian Realm, but he doesn't even know he exists. Even worse, it seems that the oldest fallen angel Pitch Black has something up his sleeve...


**Author's Note:**

Hey, guys! Sora here with a new HiJack fanfiction~! This time, it's multi-chaptered. I've been so pumped for this. I've been spamming my tumblr with drabbles of this, and now I've finally sat my ass down and started writing out the first chapter. I hope it's alright for you guys, I certainly tried my best! I'm sure that I'll continue with this idea, I am loving it so far. If guys want to see more of this AU, go to either uselesshiccup or uselessximmy on tumblr and type in /tagged/guardian-angel-au.

Enjoy~!

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**Chapter One**.  
A New Charge.

_There are things in this world that just can't be explained. Things that happen underneath the surface, beyond the perception of the human eye. How do I know this? Because I am a part of that unseen world. I am what the humans of the Living Realm call a guardian angel. I work to protect those who have potential. Whether they see me or not, well, that's up to them. Who am I? I'm Jack Frost. I wasn't always Jack Frost, but that's a story for another time. This story... This story's different._

_This is the story of my second charge. When I was three-hundred years old, on February 29, I was sent down to protect a boy. A boy named Hiccup. Strange name, I know, but hey. It fits him. I thought it would be just a job. Just protect him here, protect him there, and all would be good. But as I watched him grow, even through the mistakes I made, he became... interesting. I fell in love with the man he came to be. Who he proved he could be._

_But you see, this is forbidden in our realm. Guardian angels can't fall for their charges. It's just the rule, and it can have severe punishments, from what I've heard. But I couldn't help it. Unfortunately, my love for him caused... problems. Many, many problems. He was my downfall. And this, this is the story of how I realized what his true purpose was, why I was protecting him. Of how I came to love this boy named Hiccup._

[~]

Wispy thin clouds drifted lazily by, carried by the late winter's breeze. The chill it brought sent shivers down the pale youth's spine, icy blue eyes gazing up at the partially-clouded sky with mild disinterest. Swaying green grasses tickled the forearms tucked beneath his head and caressed the skin of feet left bare, the soles of which pressed firmly against the soft earth he lay upon. A yawn drawn from boredom forced his mouth open, pale lips stretching to reveal whitened teeth. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes as the yawn reached its peak. As soon as it had begun, it was over, leaving the youth to dry his eyes with the back of a hand, off-white fabric of a loose shirt bunching at his shoulder. "Man," he complained in a groggy grumble, that same hand combing through tousled locks of white, "How come every day I have off, there's nothing left to do?"

For a moment, he just lay there, hand now resting on his stomach, a soft glare directed at the tauntingly blue sky above. With a sharp intake of breath, he pulled himself up to a sitting position, bent legs falling to the sides. A white feather, its tip a frosted blue, drifted down from the large wings sprouting from his back. It soon found its base pinched between a thumb and forefinger as it was brought over for inspection. A gentle sigh escaped his lips and, when a breeze blew by, he released the feather, allowing it to float away. He watched it dance upon the soft wind, flying higher and higher, until it disappeared beyond the trees surrounding the peaceful clearing.

"Didn't know you were one to just sit and watch your memories fly away like that, mate."

The voice, though highly recognizable, was startling to the youth. But as soon as the initial jump was over, a wide grin broke out on his face. With one powerful flap of his wings, he was on his feet and spinning around to meet the speaker. However, he didn't allow himself to appear as an excited child, allowing his grin to fall to a smirk as his wings folded behind him again, gently curling around his shoulders in a relaxed position. "And I didn't know you were so keen on spying on people," he answered smoothly, a teasing tone woven into his words.

With one hand tucked away into ripped jeans, the gray-haired man stepped forward, a fond yet challenging smirk pulling at his lips. The black sleeveless shirt revealed muscled arms covered in dark gray-blue tattoos; a trademark of sorts. No other angel could be seen sporting any kind of tattoos. At least, not out in the open. Then again, Jack didn't exactly know very many angels; only a select group of them. An amused chuckle rumbled from his throat, piercing blue eyes staring straight toward the smaller. "Yeah, like I have the time to spy on people. I think you're forgetting some of us have jobs," he responded, stopping a few short feet away from Jack.

The paler of thee two rolled his eyes and waved his hand in dismissal. "Jobs. Who needs 'em? It's not like we don't get food and water, anyway," he spoke with disinterest. That was the thing about living in the Guardian Realm. Food, water, and shelter were provided upon arrival. Trainees especially had access to these services, for it was believed they needed to keep their strength up in order to keep up with their training programs. They weren't exactly the easiest things around - and Jack knew that for a fact. Many times, he had gone back to his dorm and just passed out on the bed, not to be awaken until the morning after. Thankfully, his training was no longer such rigorous exercise and stressing topics. Now, he was just expected to train on his own, using the variety of courses found throughout the realm. It was a pretty good life, being a Guardian Angel.

He took his seat on the grass once again, finding no interest in standing now that he had greeted his comrade. He patted the spot next to him in silent offering, pulling one knee up to his chest and slinging an elbow over it. "So, what brings the oh-so-popular Bunny out here, anyway?" he questioned with a lopsided smile, pale blue eyes watching as his friend seated himself next to him. "Last I checked, you had a charge to take care of."

Aster - his nickname of which being 'Bunny' due to his unique fighting style - placed himself next to Jack, his gaze wandering to the trees he had just come from. "That's the thing about charges, mate. They don't exactly live long," he pointed out.

There was silence for a moment. Jack removed his gaze from Aster, placing it instead on the grass between his toes. "Sorry..." he mumbled. "Didn't think about that..."

Aster gave a loose shrug. "S'alright. I'm still here, aren't I? He fulfilled his duty just fine," he answered. There was merely a hum and the small crack of a smile in response. With a smirk, he nudged the younger with his elbow. "Don't be so down about it. The bloke's time had come, and he went peacefully in his sleep. Just like your charge did."

Jack offered a small smile that soon morphed into a smirk. "How come I knew you'd be better at this than I am?"

"Because I've been doing this job longer than you have. I have more experience."

"More like you're an old geezer." A devious grin was cast Aster's way, met with a surprised look.

Aster's expression darkened as a smirk curled onto his lips. "Are you saying it's not because of my experience?"

Jack gave a loose shrug. "I'm not saying it's because of your fighting skills, if that's what you mean."

"That's not a challenge, is it, Frosty?" The adult leaned in toward the other, eyes watching his every move.

Blue-tipped wings twitched in anticipation. A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. Oh, how he missed this. It had been years since he last saw the other. "And what if I am?" he challenged.

A laugh. "Oh, you've done it now, mate." Dark gray wings with blue laced within the feathers, previously hidden by choice of the owner, burst into view. The wingspan of the wings themselves were at least twice as large as that of Jack's, and easily propelled him up into a standing position without nearly as much force as Jack's required.

However, that didn't stop him. As soon as the adult was up, so was the younger, wings expanding only slightly in an attempt to make himself appear bigger. But alas, it was of no use. Aster was larger than him. In muscle, in wingspan, in height... Probably even weight, too, judging by those muscles. Both males leaned toward each other. "Aww, did I rile up the poor wittle bunny wabbit?" Jack teased as he extended his hand to the side. A soft glow of white and blue swirled around just beyond the palm, ice extending vertically from it. It formed a thin shape with a curved top, much like that of a shepherd's crook. And when the ice shattered and fell away, it revealed a wooden staff, frost patterns blooming on its surface wherever Jack's hand rested.

Aster, in turn, summoned his own weapons in his own fashion. Vines curled around his palms and stretched before them, withering away to reveal boomerangs, one of which he propped up onto his shoulder. Wings expanded and contracted in the anticipation of the soon-to-come sparring match between the two angels. He took a step forward, nearly closing the space between them. They were merely inches away from each other, yet neither of them backed down. Both of them glared each other straight in the eye, challenging smirks screaming, 'Do it. I dare you.' "Oh-ho-ho," the older chuckled. "How about a little sparring match, eh? You and me. Just like old times. Loser treats winner to dinner."

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

Another chuckle. "Call it a date and I'll have to rip those pretty little feathers out of your wings," he warned. But, of course, both of them knew that was an empty threat; nothing would come out of it. They had done this sort of thing before; taunt each other with words. It was always their way of trying to rub the other the wrong way.

But oh, that was not going to work today. Jack straightened his body and supported himself on his staff to lift himself up a bit more, just to appear a bit taller. "Then you better take me somewhere nice. I don't want crappy fast food," he retorted. Blue eyes narrowed as they stared straight down at him, the smirk darkening.

The boomerang was removed from its place on the shoulder in favour of swinging down toward Jack, who quickly gave a mighty flap of his wings to propel himself backward. He gave a backflip just as a show and landed gracefully on his feet, wings spread wide and staff held in both hands. Flowering vines created a tangled mass of a bowl where he had previously been standing. Clearly the other had intended to trap him, but alas, such a cheap trick wouldn't work. He chuckled and offered a smirk. "What's wrong, cottontail?" he taunted. "Not as good as you thought you were?"

Aster offered a dark smirk, rolling his shoulders. "Oh, I'm just getting warmed up!" he answered. His wings spread wide and he chucked one of the boomerangs, pushing himself forward at high speeds. Jack managed to dance around it and its owner, however, leaving Aster to push himself farther than anticipated. Just for an added measure, Jack used his wings to twist his body around, delivering a kick to Aster's backside. His ankle was caught by a strong hand just as Aster whirled around. He let out a surprised shout as the momentum of the twirl tugged him along with it, those larger powerful wings adding on with just as powerful flaps. One spin and he was released, sent flying toward the nearest tree.

He spread his wings to their full wingspan and gave another flap to slow himself, letting out an 'oof' as his back slammed into the tree. Thankfully, it wasn't with the force previously given to him, and therefore it was only a dull ache that had been given to him. He laughed and cast a grin. "Gonna have to do better than- WOAH!" He ducked out of the way as a boomerang went soaring over his head, embedding itself into the tree behind him. He pushed himself away just in time to avoid the vines that sprouted, trying desperately to grab at him. He tapped them with the end of his staff, ice encasing the vines from the tips to the roots near the boomerang. Maneuvering in the air, the youth slammed his staff down, successfully shattering the now-frozen vines. The shards fell to the ground and he used his momentum to spin around, his wings taking him higher. And apparently, Aster was hot on his trail. With one flap, he easily avoided the oncoming angel by flying over him, though he could feel the wings nick his toes. Thankfully, the feathers were soft and only managed to get a laugh out of the pale-haired boy.

As soon as Aster reached the tree, he yanked the boomerang out and used the tree to propel himself into the sky, after Jack, pushing off the bark with the soles of his boots. A grin was cast his way, as though he had won. Jack gave a confused look. Aster pointed behind him, hovering in the air a few feet away. Obliging the silent command, though a bit warily, he threw a glance over his shoulder. He let out a yelp as the first boomerang Aster had thrown slammed into his backside, throwing him off balance. But before he could hit the ground, his wings saved him and shot him up into the air again. Aster was right there when he turned around, grabbing at one of his wrists and yanking it behind his back. Jack struggled against the grip for a moment before realizing that when Aster let go, his hand was still trapped. He dared to glance down. A vine had risen up from the ground and wrapped itself tightly around his wrist, keeping him in place.

He growled in frustration and threw his staff forward, sending a sparkling ray of blue frost in Aster's direction. The frost hardened into shards of pointed glass, increasing in speed until they reached his opponent. He was careful, though, to not aim for anything vital, and for them to shatter upon impact. So when they hit the other - or rather, the few that did - they left only small cuts. He wasn't trying to kill him, after all. He tapped his staff against the vines and waited for the ice to overtake it, breaking his wrist away as soon as he could. He dodged the boomerang directed toward him by dipping down, flying forward as fast as he could with a much-needed war cry, much to Aster's amusement.

Aster quickly dove down to the ground, landing in a crouched position as vines erupted around him, all headed toward the frosty angel. Jack countered by covering his staff in ice at the base, sharpening the tip enough to where it could cut. And as each vine came close enough, he swung his staff as hard as he could, successfully slicing through the plantlife and leaving a wonderful array of frost patterns to travel down toward the roots. Within seconds, he met with Aster, but a split second sooner than he had touched down, Aster jumped back and away, wings wide, leaving Jack to land alone in the center of the vines. Frost patterns erupted from where he landed, encasing the rest of the vines in its frozen beauty.

But he was hardly quick enough to dodge the oncoming boomerang. He could feel it nick at his arm and go through the feathers of his wings as he pushed off the ground, throwing him off balance. He tumbled through the air, spiralling for a moment, before he expanded his wings and steadied himself. But by this time, Aster was already too close. His eyes widened as he looked directly into the other's, only inches away from his face. The other's wings flapped and his body twisted, delivering a kick to Jack's side. He let out a shout as he was flung to the side, once again tumbling. This time, however, he didn't have time to right himself. For only a second after he was sent spiraling to the side, he could catch glimpses of Aster right beside him. He let out a pained shout as the heel of a boot slammed into his back, just between his wings, sending him toward the ground.

He thought he would land, but oh, how he was wrong. A split second later and Aster's knee was driving into his gut, stopping his descent and throwing him back. He fell to the ground with a grunt, lying on his side. His staff had clattered to the ground nearby. His wings curled around him as a sort of protection as he coughed and groaned, rolling onto his stomach and pushing himself up. "Geeze, guess they call you Bunny for a reason," he commented as he cast a glance to Aster, who landed right beside him. He wiped at his lips with the back of his hand. Oh, good. No blood. At least he was kind enough not to seriously injure him.

Aster extended a hand down to Jack. "Sorry 'bout that, mate. Got a little carried away," he spoke with a chuckle.

Jack didn't even notice the boomerangs were held in his other hand, sighing as he reached up to grasp the hand offered to him. But the fight wasn't over with yet. Oh, no. With a devious smirk, Jack called on the powers hidden within him. Ice shot up from his grip on Aster's hand, the other letting out a surprised shout and stumbling back. Jack stood up completely on his own, wings flapping to loosen the grass and leaves that had found their home within the feathers. A frown from the other. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I not say Uncle?" he taunted, ignoring the dull ache in his stomach from that last blow. A smirk was directed toward him as he pushed his toes under the staff, throwing it up into the air to catch it.

He twirled it for a brief moment before slamming the end on the ground, frost and ice expanding from the center and rushing toward the edges of the clearing. Blue eyes widened as Aster spread his wings, giving a powerful flap. But this time, Jack was faster. He had expected the other to try to avoid it. He thrust his free hand upward, the ice shooting from the ground and encasing the other's boots, quickly spreading up to his mid-thighs. Aster struggled for a moment before laughing, pressing his fingers against the ice. "You think this will hold me?" He threw both of the boomerangs in Jack's direction.

Jack watched them, studied their movement. They arced outward and then in toward him. Okay, he could dodge this easily. Just step forward and he'd be good. He did just that. The boomerangs flew right past him. He twirled his staff and rested it on his shoulder, tucking his hand away in his pants pocket with a dignified smirk. "Looks like you missed. Whatcha gonna do now? You can't grow what's asleep from the cold, Aster."

A smirk was directed toward him. "I don't plan to." The boomerangs came into view just beside Jack's head and swung back around, embedding themselves into the ice. It cracked all the way up and down and shattered into multiple pieces. As soon as Aster was free, he shot forward. There was no time. The staff was ripped from his hands and his wrists were caught by a powerful grip. One moment, he was stepping back to try to avoid his fast-moving opponent. The next, he was lying on his own ice - now melting away - with his hands pinned above his head. Aster hovered over him, straddling his hips and smirking down at the smaller boy. "Checkmate."

The younger of the two growled and struggled against the soon-to-be victor, but it was to no avail. In a physical fight, there was no way he would win against him. He just wasn't strong enough. He let out a sigh and a defeated frown overtook his lips. "Alright, alright, you win," he admitted in an annoyed grumble, rolling his eyes. "What d'you want?"

Aster sat back, releasing his hold on Jack's wrists. He knew he was the victor. There was no sense in fighting. The ice was already melting away, soaking the knees of his pants. He lifted one knee up just as Jack sat up, holding himself up by placing the palms of his hands in the now-damp grass. He chuckled at the glare directed toward him. "Not much. Just a steakhouse," he replied as he pushed himself off of Jack, leaving him to seethe alone.

Jack snatched up his staff as he stood up, dusting off his clothes. Ah, but they were already soaked on the back due to the melting of the ice... Speaking of which, that no doubt left some irreversible damage on the clearing. He grimaced at this thought. Manny would surely have some things to say to him now... "Fine, fine," he waved off as he let his staff become encased in ice and crumble away into snowflakes that danced upon the breeze and melted into nothing. "A steakhouse, then."

"Since you two are done with your little playfight, think you'll finally listen to me?"

Both males turned their heads at the sound of the new voice and from the trees emerged a short woman with brightly-coloured hair - and an even brighter array of feathers. The wingspan of his woman was nearly unrivaled, save for that of one in particular. It made her seem even smaller in comparison. But it was a symbol of her rank and her status in the angel community. No angel's wings were as stunning and beautiful as that of Ana's. And if she chose to not show her wings, well, then her status could be seen by the elegant flowing dress she adored wearing - one that Manny had given to her upon promotion to archangel. It wasn't as bright as her wings, but it still held the beautiful greens with a purple shine in the light that her wings did. The front was shorter than the back, and the back dipped down to her ankles in a beautiful array of colours. The golden belt she wore around her waist bore the symbol of Manny; a simple crescent moon. Many who saw her fell to their hands and knees, shaken by her mere presence. They acted as though a goddess herself had descended upon them. Though in truth, she was not as such. She was merely just right hand man (or rather, woman) to the leader of the guardian angels, to the one who kept the peace, assigned the charges, and accepted new guardians.

Jack and Aster, however, were quite used to seeing her. If it weren't for Aster's sense of duty to the humans, he would have had a permanent seat in the Council. He still dabbled in the affairs from time to time, and had been promoted to archangel alongside Ana, but due to his frequent absence, he couldn't fully participate. Why he chose not to, Jack would never know, though he had a feeling it had to do with something about his past life, before he was turned into what he was now. He felt he would never figure it out. The topic was a rather touchy one and had always been dismissed with what seemed to be a careless wave. (Though when Jack studied hard enough, he could see the flicker of pain dancing through the other's otherwise hopeful eyes.) Jack, on the other hand, just got in trouble enough to visit the Council on a regular basis. Therefore, due to his frequent visits, he now knew Ana on a first-name basis. And so, when he first saw her, he was the first to greet her in a rather friendly way that would be looked down upon by most.

As soon as he caught sight of her, the youngest of the trio took off. His wings carried him - with one flap - across the rest of the clearing and to Ana as she strode up to him, her gait steady and determined. Her wings fluttered in irritation as she crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one leg, her expression showing mild irritation. "Ana!" Jack greeted cheerfully as he landed a few feet away, nearly skipping to slow himself down to stop just before her. Aster followed behind, hands tucked in his pockets. "This is a nice surprise!"

Ana gave a small smile. "Hello, Jack. I see you've been having fun," she commented. She pulled him into a small hug, giving him a tight squeeze before releasing him. "Good to see you again. I was worried you disappeared on us."

"Me? Nah, I was just hanging around here for a bit is all," he spoke, shoving his hands in his pockets. He stepped back to allow Aster some room to perform his greeting as well, nothing that his wings were no longer in full display. He never did seem to like them out...

Aster pulled the small woman into a hug, holding her close to his chest. He could hear the words 'bloody hell, I missed you,' mumbled into her ear. It was rewarded with a chuckle and a tight squeeze, the two releasing each other. She smiled to Aster, then looked to Jack. Her smile faded. She stared hard into Jack's eyes for a moment, worry lacing itself into those purple orbs. "Jack..." She placed a gentle hand on his arm. He could feel his stomach drop. "Manny wants to speak to you."

The youngest glanced back to the damage he had done. It couldn't have been about this, could it? He looked to Ana again, a light frown tugging at his lips. He felt himself shift, his wings pulling tighter to his body. "Er... Why, exactly?" he questioned. "I'm not in trouble, am I?"

She gave an apologetic smile and gave his arm a light squeeze. "I'm sorry, I don't know. I didn't think to ask," she spoke truthfully.

Jack gave a small sigh and glanced warily to Aster, who seemed just as troubled as he was. The man stood mute, arms crossed and eyes darting between the two. He gave a sigh and motioned toward Ana, silently telling him it was alright to go along. Defeated, the pale-haired youth looked back to the woman. "Well, alright. Lead the way, I guess."

The walk to the Council Hall was anything but a quiet one. That was the thing about Ana. When Jack was around her, he felt like he could just open up and speak with her. She loved to laugh and cracked jokes a few times, and she was such a sweet girl. She always had something to say, and would always extend a motherly hand when needed. A few times, Jack had even found comfort in Ana's arms, when he had first been chosen to be a guardian angel. Those were rough nights. For years, he couldn't cope with the thought that he had lost his life and had just started a new one. His wings were so small then, she would comment, earning an eye roll and snarky remark from the pale-haired youth. Others stared in awe as he walked past them, freely talking away with the one they considered to be a goddess. To him, she was just a friend. A close, motherly friend he could rely on when he was down in the dumps.

They didn't really speak of much - and personal topics were definitely things they shied away from- but what they did talk about, they found interest in just because of how the discussion took place. One 'argument' was even how strange a platypus looked. Jack argued that they were rather weird and wanted to figure out why they were what they were. Ana, on the other hand, defended them, calling them cute and saying 'they could be whatever they wanted to be'. "It's just who they are, Jack," she would argue, much to his amusement. It irritated her the way he would just laugh it off and call her weird for thinking that way, her feathers puffing in a way to make herself look larger. Though, with how caring Jack knew Ana to be, and how he knew she would never hurt him, it was much like a kitten trying to act like a tiger, therefore it only gave him more reason to laugh.

But as they neared the Council Hall, all laughter died down. The jokes ceased. Worry gnawed away at Jack's gut, but so did irritation. It wasn't his fault the clearing had been iced over! Well, not all the way! It was Aster's, too, for starting that whole fight. There were special buildings just for sparring they could've used, but no, Aster just _had_ to egg him on! Really, it was all his fault, Jack silently convinced himself. Already, he was coming up with how the conversation would go, playing it out in his head. He rehearsed what he was going to say, running it through his head over and over again until he got it down. He could think of nothing else. He wouldn't allow himself to. He passed his guardian test. He didn't break any rules. At least, as far as he knew. The only thing that happened was the whole freezing-over-the-clearing thing - and that wasn't entirely his fault.

He took in a deep breath and slowly let it out through pursed lips to soothe his nerves. It didn't matter how many times he had visited Manny's office, he still was a nervous wreck. He always worried about what would be said, even if it was _just Manny_. Silently, he spoke to himself, telling himself that it would be alright. It was just Manny, after all. Manny wouldn't throw him out of the Guardian Realm. No, he wouldn't at all. Jack had passed all the exams. He was a full fledged guardian angel now. There was no reason to. Hell, he had successfully taken care of his last charge before he even graduated. Granted, it wasn't exactly his charge in the first place and he was merely a replacement for the previous guardian, but he still had proven himself worthy of becoming a guardian. ... Right?

The large double doors opened before him, without the help of any force pushing them. How they did that, Jack would never understand. He had tried sneaking inside before to study the doors and their hinges, but alas, he never could get past the guards. Only those who were summoned or had good reason to could visit Manny. Now, the guy was a nice guy. He wouldn't cause harm to anyone. But, well, the guards thought for sure he was too busy for random visitors.

Jack glanced to Ana when he felt her lithe hand pressed against his back. She smiled to him in reassurance as she lead him down the grand entrance, which Jack just saw as an unnecessary fancy hallway. Grand columns had been erected centuries ago, milky white in colour, lining the walls. Candle holders rested between each column, the candles unlit in favour of letting natural light spill in through the large windows with elaborate depictions of angels and their charges worked into the metal wires woven through the glass. When Jack had first been lead through this hall, he had been in complete awe - especially at night. The ceiling high above seemed to be nonexistent when the moon shone down upon it, letting its rays fill the grand entrance. But now, being so used to being dragged in here because of one thing or another, he saw it as normal. It wasn't as spectacular as it had been to him when he was younger. Three hundred years as an angel kind of did that to you.

The archangel lead the guardian down the carpeted pathway, the plush silvery fibers lined by a calming dark blue like that of the night sky. It felt great between his toes. Usually, he was forced to wear some kind of shoes, but he found them to be rather... constricting. In his lifetime, he had never worn them unless there was an absolute need. So why start now? He was just thankful Ana hadn't noticed the lack of proper protection. 'Bare feet _again_?' she would say. 'Go put some shoes on right now, Jack Frost!' And her nose would twitch in that irritated way, her lips would curl into a pout, and her stance would take that of a motherly woman scolding a child. But as of right now, her voice remained silent. Her wings didn't flare out. Her eyes didn't glare up at him. And it quite pleased him.

The hall ended with an empty throne sat upon a pedestal. The elegant carvings etched into the white wood detailed the cycle of the moon, with the full moon at the highest peak, and the wings of what could be assumed as angels creating the arm rests. The silvery curtains draping behind the throne shined brilliantly in the light from the sun. Ana stepped around the throne and bowed her head to guards as she passed, silently leading Jack through the thick curtains to the room hidden beyond.

A bald man with a single lock of hair lifted his head upon the arrival of the two. A friendly and warm smile welcomed the newcomers and the pen in his hand was placed upon the desk he sat behind. What his wings looked like, Jack didn't know. He had never seen them in his lifetime, for he always chose to keep them hidden. He could only assume that they were as large as - if not larger than - Ana's. Ana's wings curled around her as she curtsied, her head bowing in respect. "Tsar Lunar, I have brought you the one you requested," she spoke calmly.

The man bowed his head in a gentle nod. He folded his hands in front of himself as he sat up straight in his chair. "Such formalities don't fit you, Ana. We're all friends here," he answered. Ana straightened, a fond smile directed toward the man of higher ranking. He turned his attention to Jack. For a moment, he just stared, as though considering his words. In his silence, his smile faded to a very faint curve of the lips. "How to explain this..." he murmured.

Jack glanced between Ana and Tsar - or rather, as he was known to most, Manny. Ana watched him cautiously out of the corner of her eye, worry evident in her gaze. Taking up the only opportunity he had, Jack lifted his hands in defense, palms pointed toward the leader. "Hey, if this is about the whole forest thing-"

Manny looked to him in interest.

"- then I just want to say that what happened was _not_ my fault."

Manny smiled. "This isn't about that, Jack." His words went unheard to the new guardian.

"I mean, yeah, it partly is, but-"

"Jack."

"- Not entirely! Aster, he-"

"Jack."

"- was to blame, too, y'know. If you want to scold me for-"

Manny let out an irritated sigh and lowered his head, rubbing at his forehead with the pads of his fingers.

"- messing up the clearing, then you might want to bring _him_ in, too."

The leader's hand fell back down to the table and he laced his fingers again. Mild irritation, laced with amusement, were expressions lost to the rambling angel equivalent to a child.

Jack spoke on, his hands moving with his actions. "I mean, you can't blame just me! Aster wanted to spar, and I-"

"_**Jack**_." The voice was louder this time, firmer. Instantly, the youngest quieted, his hand freezing in place, in the middle of gesturing behind him. Well. That certainly got his attention. Manny, pleased with himself, sat back in his chair, hands folded before him. He smiled kindly at the now-silent angel. "Don't worry. This isn't about the clearing. The plants will grow back just fine," he reassured.

Jack's arm lowered. But he still didn't seem to be fully convinced, Manny could tell. He eyed the leader suspiciously, his wings curling to where the tips just barely passed his shoulders, as if trying to subconsciously protect him. "Then... what _is_ this about?" If it wasn't the clearing, then he was here for something else. And certainly it could _not_ be good. He had been here enough times to know that if he was summoned, it was not for good reasons.

The eldest chuckled. "My, my, so quick to jump to conclusions... You're not in trouble, Jack, I promise. This is about... something else," he spoke calmly, almost proudly.

Still, the other's suspicions had not been doused - not in the slightest. But he was met with silence. "Then you wanna tell why I'm here?" he questioned, more confidently this time. There was no other reason to be pulled aside than to be scolded for some sort of rule he had broken, or another blizzard whipped up in his emotional despair. (Thankfully, that hadn't happened in quite a few years. The last known cause of an unexpected blizzard was in '69. That was a pretty interesting story... But, we shall save it for another time.)

There was only a short silence this time. The smile grew into a wide grin, eyes crinkling in delight. "You, Jack Frost, have a charge."

Jack's jaw nearly dropped on the spot. In fact, he could feel his lips parting in disbelief just as his eyes widened. Wait, wait, wait. He was so new to this whole guardian business. He just graduated, for crying out loud. And now, all of a sudden, he had a charge? Right from the get go? He could only stare in disbelief, earning a quiet laugh from the leader of the guardian angels. That was confirmation enough. Well, almost.

He could feel his smile growing wider and wider, his breath coming out in small huffs every now and then of silent laughter. His wings rose a little higher at the thought. He glanced over to see Ana smiling brightly at him, her hand resting delicately on his arm. "I have... I have a charge?" he questioned as he turned his attention back to the eldest angel. At the nod of the other's head, Jack let out a holler and pushed off the ground, throwing his hands in the air and flipping back. He landed on both feet, his wings fluttering in pure excitement. "I have a charge!" he hollered as he punched a fist into the air. A laugh bubbled up from his throat as his wings lifted him a few inches off the ground only to land right back down.

In his excitement, he turned to Ana and pulled her into a hug, squeezing her tightly. The woman laughed and returned the hug, brilliant wings curling around the two as though they, too, were trying to return the hug. "Congratulations, Jack. I knew you could do it," Ana spoke fondly as soon as the hug had been broken, the boy holding her at arms length. His grin was infectious and caused the corners of Ana's lips to tug upward even more.

He released her and, nearly bouncing in place, turned to look at Manny, who smiled at him fondly. "When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow." Jack gave a whoop and threw his fists in the air, excitement taking over once again. Manny waited for him to calm before he continued, "He will be born at noon, on a small island located near Iceland. Your bond to him will automatically draw you to the island, but you'll need to find him on your own. Remember, Jack. A charge's life is at risk from the very moment they exit the womb. Be on time, or you risk failing your mission from the time they've taken their first breath." A slight pause, and Manny's expression softened. "Be safe, Jack. And take care of your charge. Protect him with your life."

"I will."


End file.
